IB Endagers Advani!

The Intelligence Bureau has issued a warning that Lashkar-e-Taiba terroristsare planning an attack on opposition leader LK Advani. This is the secondwarning of its kind. Earlier the agency had claimed that ISI and Dawood Ibrahimwere planning to assassinate the opposition leader. The warning is a puzzle. Whyissue it publicly? Such publicity violates standard security drill.

When there is intelligence of impending danger the information is quietly passedon to the relevant security personnel. If the danger justifies cancellation orchange of a VIP’s plans this is quietly accomplished under some pretext. Theidea is to not alert the intending terrorists. Instead of which the IB isblaring its information to the whole world. If this is being done to impresshigher-ups that it is doing its job the IB is in fact multiplying the danger tothe intended victim. Sometimes politicians publicize false security threats tothemselves in order to acquire or enhance security arrangements. When officialagencies publicize individual security threats the implications can be sinister.

The fact is that political VIPs generally have several hostile forces wanting toeliminate them. By announcing before hand the identity of the intending assassinthe IB is tempting other forces wanting to harm the victim. Once the culprit ofa possible future crime is already identified, does it not offer cover to allhostile forces that want to harm the victim?

By its repeated public warnings the IB has in fact laid the foundation for apreconceived theory for any terrorist attack that might target LK Advani. It ishighly unprofessional and dangerous. Will Home Minister Shivraj Patil take note?